Wire-embedder



N. W. MATTHEWS.

WIRE EMBEUDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1920.

1,366,674. Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

bizzorzzeyz' UNI'TED- STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

NEWTON WEBSTER MATTHEWS, OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- LFOURTH TO KNUTE B. NORSWING, OF ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, AND ONE-FOURTH TO ALBERT JOHNSON, OF GOODHUE COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

WIREEMBEDDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Application filed July 21, 1920. Serial No. 398,022.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Nnw'rox Wnesrnn Marr'nnws, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fullerton, in the county of Orange and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in \VireEmbedders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists generally in providing novel means for embedding the supporting wire in foundation comb for bee hives.

My object is to provide a device for quickly and efficiently embedding the wlre in the comb foundation of bee hive frames.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of this class which will complete the embedding of the wire of a frame at one operation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, .l igure 1 is a perspective view of my device; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with a frame supplied with foundation wax in place on the support and showing a battery connected to the terminals, the battery being represented diagrammatically and Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the wire terminals.

In the drawings I have used the numeral- 1 to indicate the base of my device, 2 the platform on which a bee hive frame is placed, 3 a plurality of spacing bridges to hold the wax above the platform, a. flexible blade contacts for the wire of the bee hive frame, 5 the hinged platen, 6 the switch, 7 the base terminals, 8 a grip terminal and 9 the battery or other source of electric energy.

The base 1', platform 2 and platen 5 are of non-conducting material such as boards. The platform 2 is rigidly attached to the upper surface of the base 1 and is slotted to receive the flexible blade contacts 4. The spacing bridges 3 are in the nature of staples driven into the platform 2 in spaced rows and separated one from another.

The platen 5 is tiltably mounted by means of hinges 10 on the upper surface of a cleat 11, said cleat being rigidly secured near one edge of the base 1. A handle 12 is provided to facilitate operating the platen 5 and is fastened by means of screws 13 (Fig. 2), between the hinges 10.

The switch 6 consists of a flexible conductor, secured by screws 15 to the base 1, a knob of insulating material 16 and a contact screw 17. The switch is normally open but may be closed by depressing the knob 16, thereby bringing the conductor into contact with the screw 17.

The base terminals 7 are mounted in suit able manner in the base, one of said terminals being electrically connected by a wire 18 (Fig. 2) to one of the flexible contacts el, the other being ioined by a wire 19 to the switch 6. The contact screw 17 is electrically connected by a wire 20 to the adjacent flexible contact el. These contacts 1 are' made of resilient metal sheets and are fastened by screws to the platform 2. The wires 18, 19 and 20 are embedded in suitable grooves in the under side of the base 1.

The battery 9 is electricallv connected by wires 21 and 22 and the grip terminals 8 to the base terminals 7, a terminal 8 (Fig. 3) being provided for each of the wires leading to the battery 9. These terminals consist of insulated grips 28 in which are mounted pointed conductors S, the grips 23 being drilled axially to receive the wires 21 and 22, the ends of said wires making electrical contact with the conductors 8. Central recesses 7 in the base terminals 7 are adapted to receive and engage the pointed ends of the conductors 8 of the grip terminals S.

The bee hive frame 25, shown in Fig. 2 is of common type and consists of an upper or supporting member 26, end members 27 and a lower member 28. The foundation wax 29 is shown in place and the supporting wire 30 weaves back and forth through and between the ends 27 of the frame in the usual manner.

The size and arrangement of my device is such that a frame 25 may be placed with its upper or supportingmember 26 between the platform 2 and the cleat 11 and its members 2-7 and 28 will then just clear the other edges of the platform 2. The platen 5 has aplane surface on its side opposite the handle 12 and is so placed as to be brought down over the platform 2 into uniform contact with the bridges 3. Thus when the frame 25 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the platen 5 may be swung on its hinges 10 to bear against the wire 30 and the bridges 3 will then bear against the wax foundation beneath each section of the wire 30, while the blade contacts 4 arepositioned to make direct contact with the wire 30 between the wax foundation 29 and one of the frame members 27.

The frame 25 is prepared in the usual manner by securing the foundation 29 by a wedge in the member 26'and attaching the wire 30 in the ends 27 of said frame. hen placed on the platform the lower edge of the wax rests loosely on the bridges 3 with the wire 30 on the upper side ofthe foundation The platen 5 is now brought down on the wire 30 and the switch 6 closed by depressing the knob 10, to allow current to flow from the battery 9, or other source of current, over the wire 21 to one of the ter- .minals 7 and through the wire 19, the switch 6 and wirev 20 to the frame wire 80; the

current flows back and forth through the strands of the wire 30, heating said wire and returns to the battery via the wire 1.8, the second terminal 7 and wire 22. The heated wire 30 melts the wax foundation adjacent thereto and the weight of the platen 5 causes the wire to be embedded in the wax. lVith the proper current the switch 6 need only be kept closed for a few seconds to embed the wires securely in the comb foundation. The bridges 3 hold the foundation 4 away from the platform 2 thus preventing the wax from sticking and breaking away when the frame is removed.

When the wires are properly embedded the platen 5 is turned back by manipulating the handle 1.2 and if any patch work is necessary it may be done with the grip terminals 8. To embed a short section of wire the grips 23 are grasped and the ends 8 re moved from the recesses '7 and brought in contact with the ends of the portion of the wire 30 to be embedded. This will cause the section of wire to be heated by the pas sage of current and will embed it in the wax.

It is obvious that a suitable rheostat connected to a commercial lighting circuit may be used to supply current instead of the battery shown and that any such arrangement is within the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1.. In a wire embedder, the combination of a base, a support for a wired bee hive frame on said base, contact elements carried by said support and adapted to electrically connect with the wire of said frame, electrical means for heatin said wire and means for simultaneously pressing said wire into comb foundation on said frame.

2. In a wire embedder, the combination of a base, a support for a wired bee hive frame on said base, contact elements carried by said support and adapted to electrically connect with the wire of said frame, a switch and terminals, adapted to be connected with a source of electrical energy, in circuit with said contact elements, and means for simultaneously pressing said wire into comb 'loundation on said frame.

In a wire embedder, a support for a wired beehive frame, resilient contact elements carried by said support and adapted to electrically connect with the wire of said frame, electrical means for heating said wire and means for simultaneously pressin" said wire into comb foundation on said frame.

4c. In a wire embedder, the combination of a base, a platform for a wired bee hive frame on said base, contact elements carried by said platform and adapted to electrically connect with the wire of said frame, a switch and removable terminals, adapted to be connected with av source of electrical energy, in circuit with said contact elements, said terminals being provided with insulated grips, and a platen for pressing said wire into comb foundation on said frame.

In a wire embedder, the combination of a base, a platform on said base, a plurality of spaced bridges carried by said platform, contact elements, adapted to electrically connect with the wire of a bee hive frame, electrical means for heating said wire and means for pressing said wire into comb foundation on such frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name to this specification.

NEWTON WEBSTER MATTHEWS. 

